Acer Iconia W510 review

Keyboard and battery aside, you can get more Windows 8 for your money elsewhere Tested at £530

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Keyboard and battery aside, you can get more Windows 8 for your money elsewhere

Pros

  • +

    Full Windows 8

  • +

    Keyboard dock included

  • +

    Good combined battery life

Cons

  • -

    Unintuitive OS

  • -

    So-so AV quality

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Has Acer nailed the Windows 8 hybrid-tablet conundrum? The 10.1in Acer W510 might not be the most premium looking device, but it’s portable, and comes with a detachable keyboard.

Acer Iconia W510 review: Features

Windows 8 is colourful, inviting and finger-friendly, if a little unintuitive, and can handle regular software like PC games. There’s also a dual-core Intel Atom chip inside and a USB 2.0 port in the dock – but it must be noted that the W510 doesn’t have the power to replace a laptop (18 hours of combined battery doesn’t hurt, though).

The 16:9 screen looks lovely with movies in landscape orientation (and a little odd in portrait). Streaming Planet Earth from Netflix or loading your own HD content, the 1366 x 768-pixel TFT display offers a sharp, watchable picture with excellent contrast – though it’s not as accurate on colour as the likes of the Sony Xperia Tablet S, and can’t match the iPad for pixels.

Acer Iconia W510

Acer Iconia W510

The built-in speakers aren’t half bad, though they are placed where your hands rest and the headphone jack is annoyingly on the top edge – bad for trailing cables. Cans on, the W510 overdoes it slightly. For less money, the VivoTab produces a more accurate, balanced sound.

Acer Iconia W510 review: Verdict

Considering its price, there’s not much to recommend the W510 over cheaper, better quality units unless the keyboard is a must.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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